Epic fantasy adventure - a creative and fresh refresh of the story of Camelot with new takes on Arthur, Morgan, et al. Action, betrayal, secrets, wars, and a bit of slow burn make this a must read for fantasy and Aurthurian fans alike!

Spellbound by this fantasy novel! The imaginative world-building and captivating characters transported me to a realm of magic and wonder. A must-read for fellow fantasy enthusiasts seeking an enchanting escape!

Thank you to Netgalley, and Briar for the eARC.
1⭐️ DNF.

I DNF this book at 10%, twice. The first time I was in a reading slump and feel I didn’t give the book the chance it deserved, so I went back and started it from the beginning.

The writing is atrocious, these characters that are speaking to each other feels like they are talking to a stranger. There is no connection between any of them. Every other paragraph there is “…” ending the sentence. I was hoping it would get better as the story went on, but I couldn’t make it that far.

Our main character, Morgan, and her friend are talking about their training, going to a tavern, etc, nothing worth remembering, as they run into a big man off-putting man. (One of the only paragraphs that was more than 3 sentences and put some descriptive thoughts into it.)

This man is a stray farm boy from the lowlands who is training to become one of the knights, even has a strong potential to become apart of the royal guard. Yet, this farm boy doesn’t know who the royalty he will eventually be serving actually is or at the very least, who Morgan is?

I read further than that, but since all my thoughts were stuck on that, I can’t remember anything that happened after. DNFd soon after. This book is still worth giving a chance, it was just not for me. ❤️

I enjoyed this one a lot and had a lot of fun reading it! I love retelling and I wish we had more King Aurhtor/Camalot retellings because this was great. I love how the author included the fae in this as well. Morgan was a great character and I LOVED Kairos. Their banter and chemistry were incredible and the spice was great.

Basically, this had everything: strong female characters, a dark and broody love interest who can kick ass, courtly intrigue, great villains, mythical beasts, interesting and well-thought-out lore and world-building, an epic quest with a motley crew, kickass best friend, sibling love, fae, magic, romance, and of course SPICE.

Can't wait to read the sequel

Jump into 'Queen of Roses' by Briar Boleyn for a unique blend of Arthurian legend and fae magic. The story unfolds around Morgan Pendragon, a princess navigating a life shadowed by her brother, King Arthur.

The narrative starts off slow, building its world in a way that gradually draws you in. Morgan, initially presented in a certain light, evolves into a character of depth and complexity. The romance element is subtle, taking a backseat to the larger story, but it’s there, unfolding at a leisurely pace.

What’s refreshing is the gender-swapped roles of Merlin and Lancelot, adding a new dimension to the Camelot saga. The pacing might require some patience, but it’s worth it for the intricate world that Boleyn crafts.

'Queen of Roses' combines familiar myths with a modern twist, making it an intriguing read. It balances predictability with unexpected turns, earning it a solid 4 out of 5 stars. A slow burner, but one that rewards your time.

#bookreview || Queen of Roses (Blood of Fae #1) by Briar Boleyn

▪︎Star rate : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
▪︎Spicyness: 🌶

I just finished the first book of the Blood of Fae series and holy sh*tballs! 😱
Holy freaking lawd!
This book, you guys!
This book literally blew my mind.
I can't express how invested I am in this series.
The angst, the banter between Morgan and Kairos are out of this world.
I can't even erase the smile on my face everytime these two bicker. 😏🤭

The slow burn of this book made my blood pressure go up by the way but it even reaches it's peak when that leech Vesper came but still, this book literally captured me.

I need more from from Kairos and Morgan!
I need more fighting, action and more spicyness! 😉

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“Queen of Roses” is a dark fantasy romance novel by Briar Boleyn, that takes the timeless King Arthur legend and adds a fresh, fantastical twist. The book is the first in the “Blood of a Fae” series and follows Morgan Pendragon, a cast-off princess who is rumored to carry the tainted blood of the fae in her veins.

The story is a tale of self-discovery, love, betrayal, and adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat with its slow-burn romance, enemies-to-lovers trope, magic, mythical creatures, tension, banter, and unexpected twists.

The book’s world-building, character development, and plot are more than I expected for a debut novel. The author does an excellent job of creating a dark and deadly world that is both fascinating and captivating. The way the Arthurian legend has been reimagined and cleverly interwoven into a totally new direction is sublime. The characters are well-developed and have distinct personalities.

The setting is vividly described, and the author does a good job of creating a dark and mysterious atmosphere that draws the reader in.

The book’s editing is well-done, and the writing is fluid and engaging. The story is predominantly plot-driven and has some truly excellent world-building that managed to captivate me the more I read.

I recommend this story for fans of Holly Black, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and Sarah J. Maas.

The romance between Morgan and the dark and enigmatic warrior is slow-burn and spellbinding, but it could have been explored further. The book’s ending is also somewhat abrupt and leaves the reader wanting more.

Overall, I would give “Queen of Roses” a rating of 3,0 stars. While the book has an intriguing plot, it lacks depth and character development in some areas. I remain optimistic that the next book in the series will deliver the thrill I’m searching for.

content warning: sexual assault.

“Queen of Roses” is a spellbinding journey through a world where love, danger, and destiny collide. Boleyn's vivid descriptions and well-crafted characters make this novel a compelling read for those seeking a tale of forbidden love, dangerous quests, and the resurgence of ancient powers.

I loved this book. I was hooked from page one and loved the slow burn romance in Queen of Roses. This book has: romance, magic, suppressed powers, broody bodyguard, an evil king, and found family. I loved every second and can’t wait for the next book in the series.

I just wasn't able to get into this myself, but I definitely see where this is going to have an audience. The fae twist on Arthurian lore is really a unique angle and I think this series will do really well.

Thanks to the publisher for this ARC of Queen of Roses!

This is the perfect series for someone looking to fill the hole while waiting for the new ACOTAR. A fast-paced romantasy with excellent world building and a brilliant enemies-to-lovers love story. I am very keen to read the following sequels in this series.

Between the cover and being about fae, I was automatically sucked in. Then it was a Camelot based world? Yes. The story was amazing. I could catch a few hints of Throne of Glass inspiration and it was off-putting at times but didn't completely take me out of the story. I had hopes for a badass heroine however she fell short on expectations. She trained bow and sword but once she was faced with real life scenarios, she froze or fumbled. The story was heavily pushed along solely by the 'chosen one' trope. That being said, I couldn't stop reading it. I wasn't even done before I borrowed nooks 2 and 3 on KU. There was a lot predictable and it all worked though. I need to know what happens. Does she beat Arthur? Does she save Kaye? Merlin? Probably a 3.75 stars but rounding to 4.

✨It's important to take a moment to review the trigger warnings before diving into the book. The story may take you on a journey of self-discovery and growth, but it also contains some dark and twisted elements that may be difficult to process as you embark on this literary adventure.✨

"Queen of Roses" is a dark fantasy romance that combines the timeless allure of the King Arthur legend with a fresh, fantastical twist. With its slow-burn romance and enemies-to-lovers trope, the novel will keep you on the edge of your seat, filled with magic, mythical creatures, tension, banter, and unexpected twists. It's a story of self-discovery, love, betrayal, and adventure that will inspire you to keep turning the pages until the very end. Despite the book's impressive world-building, character development, and plot, I couldn't help but wish for a little more excitement. However, I remain optimistic that the next book in the series will deliver the thrill I'm searching for. The cliffhanger ending has left me on the edge of my seat, and I can't wait to continue on this journey of discovery. Overall, I was captivated from beginning to end, and I'm eager to see where this adventure takes me next. 🥀

This book was fantastic and gave me the best vibe of Jennifer l armountrout and holly black it was a fun book to read and I loved itv

I love a good romantasy but I think authors need to start thinking more originally about the works they are putting out.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of Queen of Roses by Briar Boleyn.

I really loved this book!

A fae spin on The Sword and the Stone, we follow Morgan on her mission to aquire Excaliber.

Some spice, some untrustworthy folk, and some enemies-to-hopefully-lovers, Queen of Roses had it all.

I also loved the concept of Morgan's heritage. I really enjoyed that she knew who she was, rather than thinking she was human and miraculously changing like a lot of fae fantasy.

P.s, F**k Florian

I enjoyed reading this novel. The pace was well kept, I enjoyed the plot, and I did enjoy the characters, too.
The romance was a slow burn, setting us up nicely for book two without the relationship feeling rushed, to me. I definitely plan to continue the series.

Thank you Netgalley and Victory editing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for honest review.

For a debut fantasy novel i thoroughly enjoyed this one! I was hooked right from the start.

If you like:

• Enemies to lovers
• Slow burn romance
• Forced Proximity
• Morally Grey MMC

then this one's for you!!

The book was full of plot twists, mystery and a whole lot of action. Definitely a must read for those romantasy lovers!❤️

This book was a fun, quick read. It's full of guilty-pleasure tropes, and if you can overlook some flaws in the writing style and craft of storytelling, it's a positive addition to a kindle-library full of steamy romance for a rainy day.

This is a new to me author and though not a debut author I believe this is her first book in the fantasy genre it managed to draw me so easily into a dark deadly and fascinating world. A dark fantasy read with plenty of action, intrigue and with a slow-burn romance building subtly in the background. This one is predominantly plot-driven and has some truly excellent world-building that managed to captivate me the more I read. Don’t be expecting much yet on the romance front but it’s definitely sizzling away on a slow-burn so I’m sure we will see more of this in book two.

The way the Arthurian legend has been reimagined and cleverly interwoven into a totally new direction was sublime this was Camelot and the Pendragon’s but not as you know it and though it is loosely based on the famous characters it also felt so fresh and totally different.

This is the first book in a trilogy and centres on Morgan Pendragon, because of the Fae blood that runs through her veins Morgan feels the need to prove herself constantly the differences she feels she has inherited from her mother set her apart and she tries her hardest to blend into the background not wanting to draw added attention to herself. Arthur the king and her brother is somewhat of a despot and Morgan now finds herself tasked with a dangerous quest venturing deep into a ruined Fae landscape all for a mysterious Fae relic that will prove her loyalty to the crown.

On this journey, she is accompanied by the mysterious and dangerous Draven a royal guard with a dark reputation these two manage to rub each other the wrong way from their first encounter, now thrown together along with various other individuals the two have to learn to trust each other. We have betrayals and danger and some truly unexpected reveals before everything then comes to its thrilling conclusion in a delicious cliffhanger.

This was well-written and imaginative I’m looking forward to reading the next book and finding out what comes next, especially with how we left things here. I definitely recommend reading this if you like dark imaginative fantasy worlds. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of Queen of Roses (Blood of a Fae #1)